


No threats, only promises

by TheArrowCave



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-30
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-26 12:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3851347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArrowCave/pseuds/TheArrowCave
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Started as a one shot- now it's a full fledged multi chapter story.</p><p>My take on what happened (is happening) as of 3x21</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First time posting anything on here. After last night, this wouldn't stop rolling around in my head, so I had to let it out. Please be kind!

She was a crumpled heap on the floor of the Foundry, facing the shattered glass case that once held his suit. Her chest ached and her head throbbed. She had been there for hours, lying on her side, remembering the way he stared right past her, his eyes empty. There was none of the warmth she was used to seeing, the spark that made her heart stutter. 

That night in Nanda Parbat, she had never felt so completely consumed with love. He had murmured words of adoration over and over in her ear, his calloused hands gentle, almost reverent. 

She remembered the way his skin felt under her fingers; she had pressed kisses to each of his scars, causing him to gasp and grip her tighter. She had never felt so in love. 

But Oliver was gone. And in his place, an imposter. Al Sahim. _The Arrow._

Her blood had run cold at the sight of him in the warehouse. She had told herself that Nyssa was wrong, that Oliver would never become one of the League. And then seeing him on the security footage…she had allowed herself to think that if he just saw her, he would come back. There would be a flash of recognition and she would know that Oliver, _her_ Oliver, was still in there somewhere. But he had injured John, would have killed him, had Thea not intervened. 

“Felicity.”

Her body tensed, but she couldn’t help the wave of desire that washed over her at the sound of his voice. She raised her head, looking towards the stairs. 

He was standing in the shadows, but she could tell from his stance that he was uncomfortable. He was rigid, his body strung tighter than a bow.

She pulled herself up to a sitting position as he stepped out into the room. His jaw was clenched, his eyebrows drawn – he looked fierce and terrifying, but Felicity couldn’t gather the energy to be afraid.

"What do you want?” she said, resignedly. Her voice was hoarse from crying. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Have you come to kill me?”

_There_ \- a flinch. If she blinked, she would have missed it. It was gone in an instant, his face smoothed back to the impassive mask.

“Well? Get it over with, then.” she continued, now standing, her chin pushed forward defiantly. “But please, refrain from stabbing me in the back; the knife you left from earlier is still there.”

"Felicity.” 

She pressed her lips together as he took a step towards her. Her name on his lips -- this stranger's lips -- was wrong. “I am not here to kill you. I am here to tell you to stop.”

She lifted one eyebrow. “Stop?”

He took another step. “Stop searching for Oliver Queen.” He replied, his voice steady and final. “Oliver Queen is dead. Al Sahim has risen.”

Anger flashed before her eyes. “Oliver Queen isn’t dead,” she said, her voice lethal. “Oliver Queen was _murdered_.”

Al Sahim looked away, as if her words were a physical blow. He closed his eyes, and breathed deeply. “Regardless,” he continued. “He is not coming back. Grieve for him, and move on.”

At those words, she marched up to him and grabbed his face, forcing him to look back at her, making his eyes meet hers. She knew she was crazy, she knew he could kill her where she stood, but she didn’t care. She had to try.

"I told Ra’s Al Ghul that I would go to war with him to get Oliver back,” she said, her voice unwavering, her eyes searching his face. His eyes widened infinitesimally, and she knew, she _knew_ it was working.

“I don’t make threats, _Al Sahim_ ,” she said quietly, dropping her hands from his face and stepping back. 

“I make promises.”

And with that, she left, never glancing back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I decided to continue this little one shot with a little Oliver POV. 
> 
> Takes place right after Felicity leaves. 
> 
> Let me know what you think!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm overwhelmed with all the feedback! Thank you!!

_"I told Ra’s Al Ghul that I would go to War with him to get Oliver back."_

The words echoed in Oliver's head as he stood in the Foundry, eyes fixed on the spot where Felicity had just been. The skin on his face burned where she had touched him. 

He was frozen. He was pretty sure his heart had stopped beating.

He shouldn't have come- he knew that. But seeing her face in the warehouse, seeing the tear tracks on her face had just about killed him. He had to look into her eyes and try to make her understand. 

_I have a plan,_ he had wanted to scream at her as she stared at him defiantly, her blue eyes blazing with hatred for the man she thought he had become.

But that would have just spurred her on. She would have demanded him to let her help, to fight. And he needed to do this alone. 

_You need to learn to let people help you._ He willed her words away, locking it in with the rest of his memories, like the ones from that night. His hands in her hair, his teeth nipping at her throat, the little gasps she made when he...

 _No._ He shut his eyes and focused on his breathing. He needed to be Al Sahim. He couldn't bring his team into this mess. 

His fists clenched. Once Felicity had a something in her head, she was relentless. He closed his eyes, remembering the night of the Clock King. She had decided to take matters into her own hands. He remembered the feeling of dread that went through him when he heard Sara say over the comms that Felicity had been shot. 

He wouldn't let that happen again. 

"Master."

Sah-rah was behind him, and he berated himself for the small flinch of surprise. That certainly hadn't gone unnoticed. 

He turned to face his former friend and made sure his face was set in stone. 

"We must go," Oliver said, using the harsh tone he reserved for Al Sahim. "They will no longer pose a threat for the League."

Sah-rah bowed his head, turned on his heel and walked away silently. 

Oliver turned back to the Foundry, his former home, and closed his eyes. For a moment, he allowed himself to fantasize. 

_Felicity would be at her desk, her blonde hair tied back, her fingers tapping away on the keyboard and a damn pen caught between her teeth. Diggle and Roy would be sparring on the mats; he could almost hear the rhythmic thwack, thwack of the metal sticks. Laurel would be standing across from him, her arms crossed and her brow furrowed, as it always was, chastising him for some reason or another. And Thea, his baby sister. He could almost hear the pulse of music coming from above, and pictured Thea talking to the bartenders, one hand on her hip while they other carried a full tray of drinks, her eyes glittering with mischief and laughter... _

When he opened his eyes, the fantasy was over, replaced with destruction and the ghost of happier times. 

With a sigh, he pulled up his black hood and walked towards the stairs. As he closed the door behind him, he could have sworn he heard Felicity's laugh; a sound he hadn't heard in so long. 

And he wasn't sure he would ever hear it again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd it just keeps growing. Written previous to Wednesday's episode, but there are some elements that are similar. 
> 
> As always, let me know what you think!!

Felicity hadn't slept last night, but it wasn't unusual for her these days. Ever since the night they had left Oliver in Nanda Parbat, she couldn't close her eyes without seeing his face as he hugged Thea goodbye: heartbroken, relieved and a little bitter. 

_The face_ , she had thought with a jolt, _of a dying man._

Last night, she had almost given up on him. Lying on that floor, she had allowed herself to mourn the end of her happily ever after. After seeing him in the warehouse, detached and emotionless, it hit her that Oliver was gone. 

And then he wasn't. He was in front of her, begging her to forget about him. 

For the first time in weeks, Felicity felt hope. 

She got dressed for work, a sensible navy blue dress with nude heels, but instead of driving to Palmer Tech, she headed to a familiar apartment complex. 

She knocked quietly, but firmly, on the door in front of her and waited, shifting back and forth and tapping her fingers lightly against the tablet she held in her arms. 

John Diggle opened the door, his eyes tired and bleary. She couldn't see it, but she knew that white bandages wrapped his entire upper body, covering the sword wound on his right side.

Handing him the cup of coffee in her left hand, she brushed past him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Morning, John."

\---

Oliver sat in his room, hands clenched into fists. 

How the hell was he going to get out of this marriage? He almost broke his façade at the announcement, but pulled himself back at the last moment. He knew Ra's would be looking for a reaction from him. He remained stoic, though he was screaming on the inside. He had felt Nyssa tense next to him, and could almost taste the waves of nausea rippling off her body.

Or maybe that was just his own. 

The minute Ra's had dismissed them, Oliver stalked back to his room, and resisted the juvenile urge to slam the door. He had been pacing, wracking his brain for a way out of this for hours.

The final test; the last tie to his former life- destroy his relationship with Felicity and destroy his city, thus killing Oliver Queen. 

But this marriage- it ruined his plan.

His heart contracted when he thought about Felicity and what this would do to her. Since returning home from the Island, he hadn't allowed himself to think about getting married. All that mattered was righting his father's wrongs; saving the city. And before the Island, it had always been Laurel.

But then he met Felicity. And slowly but surely, she squeezed her way into his life, bringing light and color into his previously dark and gloomy world. He was like a moth to a flame- but she was the one to get burned. 

Everything he touched, everyone he loved- he destroyed. 

There was a soft _thud_ behind him. He spun around, his hand already unsheathing the sword around his hips. His fingers ached for his bow, but Ra's had insisted on sword training. 

Nyssa was standing in front of the window brushing herself off, staring at him. 

Oliver lowered the sword. "How did you-- did you just climb through my window?"

Nyssa gave him a withering look, and rolled her eyes. "I am --"

"Daughter of the Demon, got it."

He didn't bother pretending to be Al Sahim in front of her- it was too much of an effort. He sighed, placed the sword back in its sheath and sat down on the bed, wiping his hand over his face. 

"What are we going to do?" He asked, voice muffled from behind his hand. He peeked out between his fingers to see Nyssa perched on the balcony railing, a somber look on her face. 

"I was hoping you would have a plan," she sighed, shaking her head. 

"I can't marry you," Oliver groaned, letting his head fall forward. "No offense," he added, as an afterthought. 

"I take no offense," she scoffed. "I am not your beloved. And you are not mine," she added softly.

Oliver raised his head to see Nyssa staring out at the desert, her eyes shining. He slid off the bed and padded over to her. She ignored him, keeping her eyes focused on anywhere but him. 

"I loved her, too." He said quietly. "And I know she loved you." 

She turned to look at him, her eyes full of loss and despair. "My father must die."

It wasn't what he was expecting, but Oliver wasn't surprised. He nodded. "Now I just have to figure out how."

Nyssa lifted her chin, her eyes flashed. " _We_ will figure it out together," she replied tersely. "You are not alone in this, Oliver Queen. For the time being, we are a team."

\---

"He WHAT?"

Felicity rubbed her eyes and sighed, bracing herself for the impending argument.

Looking up, she saw an infuriated John Diggle staring down at her.

"I was at the Foundry last night and Oliver was there," she repeated slowly, glancing at the baby monitor sitting on the table. She wondered idly if Lyla was listening from the nursery.

"You could have gotten yourself killed!" He shouted, slamming his hand down on the table. Felicity rolled her eyes at his dramatic flair. She really felt for Sara's future suitors. 

"Well, I think the fact that I'm sitting right in front of you, drinking the weakest cup of coffee I have ever had, says otherwise," she replied, a little exasperated.

John pulled a chair over and sat down on it backwards, his arms resting over the top and rubbed a hand over his face. 

_A very Oliver thing to do,_ the voice in her head whispered. 

She pushed the thought away. "John, he's faking. He's still Oliver, I could see it in his eyes." 

John shook his head. "I've got a gash on my chest that says otherwise," he said bitterly. "And not to mention he took my wife," he added. 

She looked away, biting her lip. "He's playing a part," she said quietly. "He could have killed me or injured me. He could have been cruel- but he wasn't. He was pleading with me to forget about him."

She turned her gaze back to John. "I have to believe he knew Thea was there; that he knew she would stop him from killing you. I just have to."

Dig was silent, his brows furrowed and his mouth a thin line. Felicity would have laughed had it not been a serious situation. 

"Then why isn't he bringing us into the loop?" John asked, his voice harsh.

Felicity threw her hands up. "Because Oliver is an idiot."

Lyla took that moment to enter the room, balancing Sara on one hip. "Johnny," she said gently. "I think she's right."

Diggle looked over at his wife, surprised. "Lyla, he abducted you, tied you up and threatened your life. And you're saying you trust him?"

Lyla readjusted her now sleeping daughter and sat down across from him. 

"He told me no harm would come to me," she responded. "He struggled to keep his emotions in check when I baited him. Oliver, God love him, is a hothead- do you think if he was brainwashed he would be defensive about his former life?"

Felicity felt relief wash through her. If Lyla was on board, it would be easier to convince Digg. And everyone else. 

"You didn't see his face when he saw Thea at the warehouse," she added, shaking her head. "He looked like he had seen his worst nightmare in front of him."

John sighed. "Alright, alright. You can stop ganging up on me."

Felicity let out a laugh, her first one in weeks. It felt amazing. 

"Well, you might want to get used to it," she said gleefully, gesturing towards both Lyla and his sleeping daughter. "Just wait until she's a teenager."

John ignored her and reached for his cellphone, but she could see the ghost of a smile on his lips. "I'm calling an emergency meeting of Team Arrow," he announced. 

Felicity looked up from her coffee, suddenly panicked. "Well, that may be a little difficult..."

Lyla, who had excused herself to lay Sara down in her crib, heard her husband's yell through the crackling baby monitor.

"Thea is WHERE?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I threw in a little humor to make things a little less bleak.


End file.
